Sitting in an office chair for prolonged periods of time can cause low back pain or worsen an existing back or neck problem. Sitting is a static posture increases stress in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs, and in particular, can add large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs.
Moreover, when sitting in an office chair for a long period, the natural tendency for most people is to slouch over or slouch down in the chair. This posture can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the discs and surrounding structures of the spine. Over time, incorrect sitting posture and workplace ergonomics can damage spinal structures and contribute to or exacerbate recurrent episodes of back pain.
A recent online survey by Spine-health shows that back pain, neck pain and related health issues are causing significant lost work time. In the survey, 50% of the 750 respondents reported missing 10 or more days due to back-related problems. Another 29% of respondents said chronic pain caused them to miss as many as 9 days over the last year. Anyone who sits in an office chair and works at a computer for most of the day is at risk of developing a back or neck problem.
“If your job involves sitting at a desk in front of a computer, you’re at risk of developing pain associated with sprains and strains to your spine. Poor posture and lack of vascular circulation aggravate the situation,” said Dr Stephen Hochschuler, MD, a medical advisor for Spine-health.com and co-founder of The Texas Back Institute.
Several indicators that poor posture may be causing back pain include:
- Back pain worsening during certain times of the day
- Pain moving downwards from the neck
- Pain that goes away after altering your sitting or standing position
- Acute (sudden) back pain when taking on a new job or sitting in a new office chair
- Continuous back pain that does not go away after several months
One major misconception that many people have is that sitting doesn’t require any muscular effort. This is completely wrong. The back muscles are continuously working to maintain the body in an upright posture while sitting. And for those who sit in an office chair and work for long periods of time at a computer in a hunched forward posture, the spine structures in the back suffer considerable strain.
If you lean forward 30 degrees in an attempt to get closer to the computer screen, you are putting three to four times more strain on your back, which can lead to wear and tear on the spinal structures – the joint surfaces, ligaments, and the intervertebral discs. In addition, this posture adds continuous strain to the back muscles, causing them to tighten up and constrict the flow of blood and nutrients to the back muscles. Over time, this posture leads to the development of tight, rigid muscles and joints, making them more susceptible to injury. To help prevent back problems that can develop for people who work in an office, Spine-health recommends a variety of tips and techniques, such as:
1. Move frequently. The body can only tolerate one position for 20 minutes at a time, 30 minutes maximum. Simple stretching techniques are helpful to nourish the soft tissues in the spine, like the Reverse Arch Stretch (pictured) that can be done while sitting in an office chair, and literally takes just a few seconds to do.
2. Avoid hunching. Sitting at the front of the office chair and hunching forward to see the computer screen is a common problem. Using the simple ‘tennis ball technique’ (where a tennis ball is placed between the chair and the back) can help people retrain their bodies to avoid poor posture habits.
3. Choose an adjustable office chair. It should have the flexibility to adjust to the needs of the your body and work requirements. Ideally, a good office chair has features such as:
- Adjustable seat height
- Enough seat width and depth to support you
- Lumbar adjustment
- Adjustable back rest
- Padded seat material
- Adjustable arm rests
- Swivel
4. Use exercise as the ultimate weapon against back problems. As you age, maintaining strong back and abdominal muscles – the core body muscles – is critical for maintaining good posture. These muscles typically don’t get much use during everyday activities, so targeted abdominal and back strengthening exercises are needed to build and maintain these core muscles.
More details on these tips, along with a helpful and entertaining video on improving back-related desk and work habits entitled “Watch your back!”, can be found at: www.spine-health.com/watch-your-back and www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics.
Author: Spine-health
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